Director · Actor
François Truffaut
Born 6 February 1932 · Paris, France — died 21 October 1984
François Truffaut (1932–1984) was a French director and former film critic, and a central figure of the French New Wave. His films, often personal and tender, explore childhood, love and the love of cinema itself. He also influenced later directors through his critical writing and his book-length interviews with Alfred Hitchcock.
Key films
The 400 Blows (1959)On Cinespective
His semi-autobiographical debut about a neglected Paris boy launched the New Wave and introduced his alter ego Antoine Doinel.
Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
A playful genre-mixing follow-up that showed the New Wave's freedom with tone and crime-film conventions.
Jules and Jim (1962)On Cinespective
A celebrated, fluid love-triangle story that became one of the defining films of the French New Wave.
Day for Night (1973)
A warm portrait of a film shoot and a tribute to filmmaking, widely seen as one of his finest works.
The Last Metro (1980)
A late-career success set in occupied Paris, centred on a theatre company, and among his most acclaimed films.
Key awards
- 1959 Cannes Film Festival: Best Director for The 400 Blows
- 1974 Academy Award: Best Foreign Language Film for Day for Night
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 103
- 1956Fool’s Mate · as Party guest (uncredited)Actor
- 1956The Kreutzer Sonata · as Cameo (uncredited)Actor
- 1958The Mischief MakersDirector
- 1959The 400 Blows · as Homme dans une fête foraine (non crédité)Actor
- 1959The 400 BlowsDirector
- 1960Shoot the Piano PlayerDirector
- 1960The Army Game · as Le taulard passionné de lectureActor
- 1961A Story of WaterDirector
- 1961Portrait of François Truffaut · as SelfActor
- 1962Jules and JimDirector
- 1962Antoine and ColetteDirector
- 1962Love at TwentyDirector
- 1962Los 4 GolpesDirector
- 1962Los 4 Golpes · as The AssassinActor
- 1963Take It All · as Self (uncredited)Actor
- 1964The Soft Skin · as Le Pompiste (voice) (uncredited)Actor
- 1964The Soft SkinDirector
- 1964La Nouvelle Vague par elle-même · as SelfActor
- 1965Filmmakers of Our Time: François Truffaut or the Critical Spirit · as SelfActor
- 1966Fahrenheit 451Director
- 1966Carl Th. Dreyer · as SelfActor
- 1967The Birth of Children of Paradise · as SelfActor
- 1968Stolen KissesDirector
- 1968The Bride Wore BlackDirector
- 1969Mississippi MermaidDirector
- 1970Bed and Board · as Le Marchand de Journaux (voice) (uncredited)Actor
- 1970Bed and BoardDirector
- 1970The Wild ChildDirector
- 1970The Wild Child · as Le Dr Jean ItardActor
- 1970Langlois · as SelfActor
- 1970Cinéastes de notre temps : François Truffaut : Dix ans, dix films · as SelfActor
- 1971Two English GirlsDirector
- 1971Two English Girls · as Narrator (voice) (uncredited)Actor
- 1972A Gorgeous Kid Like Me · as Journalist (voice) (uncredited)Actor
- 1972A Gorgeous Kid Like MeDirector
- 1973Day for Night · as Ferrand, the DirectorActor
- 1973Day for NightDirector
- 1973Omnibus: François Truffaut · as SelfActor
- 1975The Story of Adèle H.Director
- 1975The Story of Adèle H. · as Officer (uncredited)Actor
- 1975I'm a Stranger Here Myself · as SelfActor
- 1976Small ChangeDirector
- 1976Small Change · as Martine's fatherActor
- 1977Close Encounters of the Third Kind · as Claude LacombeActor
- 1977The Man Who Loved Women · as Un homme aux fénérailles (uncredited)Actor
- 1977The Man Who Loved WomenDirector
- 1977François Truffaut · as SelfActor
- 1978The Green Room · as Julien DavenneActor
- 1978The Green RoomDirector
- 1978Catherine Deneuve by Chance, or, A Certain Blondeness · as SelfActor
- 1979Love on the RunDirector
- 1980The Last MetroDirector
- 1981The Woman Next DoorDirector
- 1983Confidentially YoursDirector
- 1992Cinéma! Cinéma! The French New Wave · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1993François Truffaut: Stolen Portraits · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1994The Secret of the Wild Child · as SelfActor
- 1995The World of Jacques Demy · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1996François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - Love & Death · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1996François Truffaut: The Man Who Loved Cinema - The Wild Child · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1996Rossellini, un Prométhée franciscain · as Self - film critic, filmmaker (archive footage)Actor
- 1997Roberto Rossellini: Il mestiere di uomo · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 1999Monsieur Truffaut Meets Mr. Hitchcock · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2000Nouvelle Vague : El cine sin dogmas · as SelfActor
- 2001Léaud l'unique · as Self (archive) - filmmakerActor
- 2002Heart of the Festival · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2004Alfred Hitchcock: The Early Years · as Self (audio archival footage)Actor
- 2004Their First FilmsDirector
- 2006Once Upon a Time... 'Rome, Open City' · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2009On the Trail of the New Wave · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2009Looking for Truffaut · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2009Once Upon a Time... 'Notorious' · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2010Two in the Wave · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2010Catherine Deneuve, belle et bien là · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2012To Be... A Classic · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2013Ain't Misbehavin · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2014François Truffaut l'insoumis · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2015Hitchcock/Truffaut · as SelfActor
- 2016Vadim Mister Cool · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2016Bernadette Lafont: And God Created the Free WomanActor
- 2016Truffaut / Godard, scénario d'une rupture · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2017John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood · as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)Actor
- 2018Jeanne Moreau: Free Spirit · as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)Actor
- 2018Françoise Dorléac, une promesse · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2019André Malraux: Writer, Politician, Adventurer · as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)Actor
- 2019Introducing My Father, François Truffaut · as Self (Archive Footage)Actor
- 2019When Hitchcock met O'Casey · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2020Les secrets de François Truffaut · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2020François Truffaut: Des films d'amour ! · as SelfActor
- 2021Jim Morrison: The End · as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)Actor
- 2021Sous le soleil de Pialat · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2021Morceaux de CannesActor
- 2021Françoise Dorléac, from The Man from Rio to The Young Girls of Rochefort · as archive footageActor
- 2021Les cahiers du cinéma, la création d'une empreinte · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2022Deneuve, la reine Catherine · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2023Godard Cinema · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2023Catherine Deneuve, in the eye of the camera · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2023Godard by Godard · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2023Passion Fanny Ardant · as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)Actor
- 2024François Truffaut: My Life, a Screenplay · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2025Being Bo Widerberg · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2025Postface à l’Atalante · as SelfActor
- 2026Determination · as Self (archival footage)Actor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.